


The return of the Knucklehead

by LaniAhava



Category: Naruto
Genre: AU-Boruto Movie never happened, Age Regression/De-Aging, Family Bonding, Gen, Naruto and Sai bonding through art
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2018-12-23 14:01:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11991297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaniAhava/pseuds/LaniAhava
Summary: Naruto is so busy with his Hokage duties that he has been neglecting his family. Fortunately, or unfortunately that problem is solved by a mysterious seal placed on him. Konoha better watch out, for it seems their now 14 year old Hokage is on the loose!





	1. I didn't do it!

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own rights for Naruto or related anime stuff, this is only for writing practice purposes.

 

Konohamaru-sensei was sleeping on the tree above Boruto. As for his teammates, they already left. Mitsuki bluntly said he will be gone for a while to visit family, earning a weird stare from their teacher and Sarada left with her mother along with his mother and sister to cook a "Congratulation on surviving your half-year as genin" dinner.

Boruto had decided to stubbornly wait for someone he felt he shouldn't even bother. His old man is not going to give up his duty to visit his only son and its already too late to showcase some of his abilities like the rest of the genin had done earlier. This wasn't the first nor would be the last his old man would do this to him.

_Maybe I just give it up now,_ Boruto crosses his arms and glares at the ground. He stood up to call up his team leader that he was leaving when he caught the sleeping man twitch. The blond haired boy growls and resisted the urge to look at the direction of the sudden gust of swirling leaves behind him.

"You're late again, old man. What, you got lost in the path of life too?" Boruto didn't even deemed to look at Naruto. He scowls when he looked where Konohamaru-Sensei was only to find he was already gone.

"Boruto—"

"Nope, not hearing it," the boy puts his hands in his pockets. He moved to dodge his father's bandaged hand, "Better not be a clone. Mom should already have dinner ready."

When the silence answered him, Boruto's hands clenched into fists, "Are you serious?!"

He turns to glare at the sheepish smile of the seventh Hokage of Konohagakuren, Naruto's shadow clone.

"I will be coming by in a couple of minutes, Boss needs to find the missing page for the new treaty with the Sunagakuren—"

"Gwah!" Boruto growls and throw a couple of shuriken at the clone.

The clone barely dodges a couple that was hair width away from exploding him, "Hey! Your aim has gotten better!"

"Liar, dattebasa!" he summons up a strong gust of wind, engulfing the kunai for extra speed, "Wind Release: Gale Palm!"

"Uh-oh," The clone's eyes widen and was popped.

Boruto rolled his eyes. Picking up some of his scattered equipment, Boruto mutters to himself, "Some Hokage, stupid old man."

* * *

Sai sat on top of the Hokage tower, staring at the setting sun over Konohagakure. The summer month has been long, yet the heat has not been a bother. His grip over his trusty pencil loosen once he finished the last touch of his latest work.

_This could be a nice present for Inojin for how hard he worked on his missions and not coming back from my mission on time for his Genin Showcase of Skills demostration,_  Sai lightly blows on any eraser bits left over his page.

The ex-Root agent stands up to stretch, while lazily sensing all the people stationed in the building only to stop at the unfamiliar and yet familiar chakra signature. Sai quickly puts away his supplies in one of his storage scrolls. With just a whisper of a soft sigh, he slips into the Hokage tower. Only Iruka sensed him pass by before the former returned to finish cleaning up his desk of mission reports. The hallways were empty in exception to the usual ANBU making their rounds. Just as the strange signature slip from his sight around the corner, he was able to catch a glimpse of a mask of the ANBU. It was just Snake.

The relief only lasted a second, realizing he knows the ANBU rooster inside out and there has been no Snake ANBU. Sai quickly signals the ANBU and ran to his dawning horror that this hallway leads to the Hokage's office.

* * *

Shikamaru stepped out the Hokage office for a bit. He wanted a break from seeing the unnatural and familiar eyes he had not seen since the last Shinobi war of Naruto being determined to finish all his work to finally return home early. Naruto grumbles about the missing page of the treaty they were going to renew once Gaara comes by to visit.

Also, Shikamaru was on withdrawals from not smoking. Temari left a couple of days ago to visit her brother, but she would always know when he's smoking, either that or threatens his son to confess. He really didn't blame the boy, Temari is a force to be reckoned with. Still with his position and watching over Shikadai, their son, the work is too troublesome. He really wishes to know how the crazy woman does it.

Imagine his surprise to see a pack of ANBU rush pass him in barely controlled panic toward the place he just left. Sai signaled him about a possible assassination attempt on their Hokage. That it wasn't something he wanted to happen ever let alone on his watch.

He quickly mentally calculated if there were any recent threats that could possibly wanted a piece of the Hokage and cover up such a security breach. Unfortunately his thoughts were interrupted at they neared the barely closed door. An explosion went off, throwing everyone back.

Everyone quickly recovered, not caring if they were hurt, rushed in through the broken door and smoke.

"Hokage-sama!" "Seventh!" they shouted in deep fear, not hearing any fights through the still uncleared off smoke.

"I didn't do it, dattebayo!"

One of the ANBU quickly clear up the air and stared. There stood before them around the fluttering paper and sparking damaged wires was a young boy in what they knew their beloved Hokage was last seen wearing. The blond boy stare back at the army of ANBU, Sai and Shikamaru with wide blue eyes with his hands up in the air.

"Naruto…" Shikamaru growled, not comfortable by the looks of things. He can still feel lingering chakra use in the air and fears this is no illusion.

Naruto crosses his arms and squints at him, "Eh? Shikamaru's dad? I thought you had scars on your face?"

"Troublesome," Shikamaru makes a quick signal to the ANBU to check on the Hokage's family. Once he finished, he tries to look unthreatening as he could while eyeing the teenage Naruto, who now seem younger than half his current age, "Now what is the last thing you remember?"

Naruto open his mouth, but narrows his eyes in suspicion, "How do I know you aren't one of Pervert Sensei's tests? I ain't talking, dattebayo!"

Shikamaru froze before releasing a long breath, "I chose a really bad time not to smoke. Troublesome."


	2. Not so empty home of the Uzumaki

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First thing first, thank you everyone for your fast response. Hopefully my notes work here, (its so different than fanfiction) since my other ongoing fic here, I had to take off the notes since they copy into my other chapters. It would take me a while to get the hang of this. Enjoy reading!

 

Kakashi isn't sure how to feel at the seeing Shikamaru giving him the Hokage hat back to him. He prays he doesn't have to be like the Third where his sensei gave his life to the village and the Third became Hokage again. Just to make sure the silver-going-to-white haired shinobi subtly looks out his apartment's window. Konoha seems fine and it was a good sign at the lack of panic screams running around the village. He turns to Shikamaru with a bored look without accepting The Hat.

Shikamaru goes straight to the point, "Someone shrank Naruto and that includes his mental state. Not sure who could have done it."

Kakashi slowly nods and began to rummaging through his pockets, "But you do have an idea."

"Of course. Unfortunately, the people who may possibly know where  _he_  is are conveniently missing," Shikamaru reaches something on his mouth, but aborts the action at realizing he wasn't smoking. He scowls when he caught Kakashi humming to himself as he read his favorite book.

"Just take the hat, Kakashi," Shikamaru gritted out without growling, pushing the hat at the other.

Kakashi cleans his ear and looks up in surprise, "Hm? You said something?"

Shikamaru looks up and sighs. He turns to look out the window where the Hokage monument stood. Too quick for Kakashi to catch, his smirk replaces with a serious look, "Don't make me bring Naruto and prank your stupid as—"

"Oh, Naruto wanted a vacation. Such a lazy student I have, wonder where he got it from?" Kakashi puts away his book to take the hat and stood up.

"Let's get going Shikamaru, we have work to do," the old ninja puts the hat under his arm and used Shunshin, leaving behind a whirl of leaves.

"What work? You never even do much while being the Sixth," Shikamaru grumbled and left Kakashi's apartment as well.

* * *

A chatter of innocent children, or one can be while training to become ninjas, wasn't enough to elevate the worry Hinata had for the past hour. Hinata may have been out of the shinobi rooster for years since she had Boruto, but she can still sense the faint signatures of the increase number of ANBU guards around her home. Her children do not sense them, which was a boon. Doesn't make her fear that something big happened.

Sakura left earlier after getting some summons that the pink haired woman was not allowed to explain to her other than a sigh. She and Sarada took some food with them, aware they might not even be returning to their home for a while yet.

"—then Sarada does that weird smile before pushing her glasses and throws the kunai, pushing off mine! That little show off thinks she is all that!" Boruto waved his chopsticks around, thankfully not with any food.

"Aw, poor Onii-chan!" Himawari pats his arm with a bright comforting smile, "Don't give up, soon you would be just as good as Sarada-nee."

"You bet…Wait! What do you mean just as good?! I want to be the best, dattebasa!" Boruto stands up from his seat, but with a firm look from Hinata, he sits back down.

"I understand. It's because you like her and want to be the best to protect her and her dream," Hinata raises a napkin to her lips to hid her smile at her little girl's words.

"L-LIKE HER?! NO WAY!" Boruto turns bright red that left Hinata worry at the possibility her boy inheriting her "fainting spells".

Her amusement disappeared at his whisper under his breath, "Being Hokage is the stupidest thing to aim for."

By Himawari giggles, she didn't hear the last part. Before Hinata would lightly berate her son, she catches Himawari leaned over to see something behind Hinata.

"Grandpa 'kashi? Why do you have Daddy's hat?"

At this, Hinata and to her lament Boruto echoed her fearful expression at the possible reason.

"Maa, maa. Your Daddy had a  _tiny_  accident," a slight cough behind Kakashi told he didn't came alone, "He is being checked by our healers to make sure whatever he has isn't contagious."

"Oh," Boruto looks down at his food and huffs to himself, "Or probably a papercut with all those mountains of papers he keeps going about as excuses."

"Boruto," Hinata reprimands him. The boy only huffs, but says nothing more.

Shikamaru catcher her attention before he tilts his head toward the living room. She followed him, leaving Kakashi distract her children with some story about an old mission with their grandfather.

"—Minato-sensei didn't even wait for his dropped pack hit the floor to use his Flying Thunder God jutsu and pin the assassin—"

* * *

"You better behave, Naruto," Sakura growls interrupting yet another date from the too eager genin who just this morning was her Hokage friend.

"Aw, but Sakura-chan," Naruto pouted, but still had the slight mischievous glean on his eyes that almost made Sakura cry. When was the last time she ever saw the lack of shadows and too old eyes?

She noticed how younger Naruto fidgets with his new set of clothes that someone brought in at the hospital. He wore a sleeveless dark orange jacket over his black shirt, which had an orange insignia of the whirl of the Uzumaki. It was finalize with blue shorts that took her breaking the bed for Naruto reluctantly put on and his ninja shoes. The lack of the orange jumpsuit makes a large difference on Naruto's younger self. It didn't make him look too much of an idiot with a flashy color for someone of their profession.

Sakura looks ahead as she began to explain, "Since this isn't a switching with your older self problem, it should be fine spoiling your future without repercussions. I'm going to leave you with Hinata now. I have to go pick up Sarada from Choji's place."

"Who's Sarada?" Naruto snorts.

Sakura rolls her eyes at his obvious mockery, but she smirks, , "She's your god-daughter."

"EHH?!"

At the shocked look of her best friend, Sakura knocks the door of the Uzumaki's house.

It took a couple of seconds, but the door slammed open to show Himawari. Kakashi was nearby, keeping an eye on things, so to speak and raised a hand in greeting.

The little girl was starting to formulate an excited greeting when she caught sight of Naruto still processing the bomb Sakura gave him. The little girl's mouth opened wide in surprise like the shocked Naruto before jumping to hug the now shrunken blond boy.

"You're so cute! Can we keep him, Auntie Sakura? Can I? Can I?" Naruto tried to get out of it. To her surprise, he gave up after few seconds.

"Hima-chan. He is here only temporary," Naruto looks at her confused and then looks back at the younger girl wrapped around his stomach.

Sakura covered her mouth to stop a giggle at the sight. She really regrets in not bringing a camera especially since she knows her Naruto would appreciate at the sight of his adorable daughter or he might be jealous of his younger self, "Naruto meet Himawari  _Uzumaki_."

Naruto's eyes widen and looks down at the girl, "What?!"

"Naru…to? Oh! Daddy shrunk. Even better!" Somehow the younger girl tightens her hold on Naruto who was turning blue at the lack of air.

* * *

Naruto was guided into the living room, unsure if he should look at the photos displayed or not. Maybe he's afraid to find out this weird dream more real. Goddaughter? Sakura has a kid? With who? And the cute little girl who somehow liked him at first sight. Even Konohamaru didn't like him at their first meeting and yet Himawari…

Said little girl unwrapped herself once Kakashi asked her to take him to some Boruto to say goodbye, leaving him alone. There was something warm and homey of the place and Naruto didn't feel comfortable at all. Weird.

"Don't go destroying your house, Naruto. We'll see each other tomorrow," Naruto looks up and frowned at the strange look Shikamaru gave him. Before he said anything, Shikamaru and Kakashi were gone.

When the door closed, Naruto scratches his head, "Geez. It's so weird seeing him do things instead of doing nothing other than sleeping."

"I guess it's part of growing up, Naruto," a soft, but strong voice replied behind him.

He turns to stare a young woman with short purple hair. While she no longer looks unsure and shy, Naruto still can see the kindness and determination of his old classmate, "Hinata-chan? What are you doing here?!"

Hinata smiles, "I live here with your older self."

"Why?...wait I married you?! You're like super hot! I mean pretty!" Naruto looks down and blushes. How someone like him able to marry someone like her? He distantly wonders what Neji felt about this. For that matter how did the whole Hyuuga compound react?

He came out of his shock until he hears someone snickering. He turns to glare who dare to laugh at him and stare what almost look like a mirror, except "his reflection" had two lines on each cheek instead of his three.

"Are you one of my relatives too?" Naruto eyes widen, realizing his family (family!) has grown over the years.

The other blond-haired teenager scowls, losing his amusement, "Idiot old man, I'm your son."

"Boruto," Hinata gave him a look. Naruto didn't quite mind because he really is a father, who is there and alive with his kids!

The boy turns down his animosity and nods at Naruto, "If you are not aware, I am Boruto," Completely ignoring Naruto, he turns to Hinata-chan, "I am going to bed, Mom. Sensei wants us early for a new mission. Hopefully is a C-rank one."

Hinata shouts behind him, since the boy sure walked pretty fast, "Boruto, your sensei just send a message saying you still need to work on your jutsus and to remind you one of your teammates is on leave with his family."

While Boruto groans, Naruto puts in excited and followed quickly after his almost twin, "Can I go see?! I want to know what awesome stuff you know! I bet you're learning the Rasengan! Any summons?! Favorite jutsus?!"

Naruto ignores easily the other boy's vibe of "leave me alone", so similar to Sasu—Naruto shakes his head and follows the other boy to his room, "Who's your sensei? Is he late and lame like Kakashi-sensei?!"

* * *

While her mother was setting up the guest room for her young father, Himawari was playing with her stuff animal on her bed, but she wasn't concentrating completely. She decided to be a good sister and share her small Daddy with her big brother, only for a bit. Unfortunately it was hard to when once again her big brother was fighting with Daddy. At least they are not saying super painful stuff. She especially doesn't like what happens afterwards: her Daddy's sad smile, big brother's bitterness and loneliness. The young girl shakes her head.

"—she cannot be my kid!" Himawari puts down her doll and looks out of her bedroom door.

Boruto was red face pointing at Naruto, "How can you—How dare you! What kind of person—?!"

Naruto crosses his arms and nods haughtily, "She is too adorable and innocent to be related to me, who is the troublemaker of all pranksters!"

"Ha! Innocent?! She knocked you out on the day of your Hokage inauguration ceremony after activating her Byakugan for the first time!" Boruto shivers.

Himawari pouts and stomps into Boruto's room, "I didn't mean to!"

Boruto squeaks. He quickly grabbed a pillow as if shielding himself from someone. Himawari was confused. There is no one who would actually hurt Boruto. She shrugs, not up to figure out her big brother's weird habits, she turns to her younger father, "He ruined one of my stuff animals."

Naruto puts his hand on her shoulder, "Good, don't let anyone step over you, not even if it's your old man or big brother messing with you."

"What kind of advice is that?!" Boruto splutters and throws a pillow at Naruto's face.

"But Onii-chan brother, why are you upset? You never listen to Daddy," Himawari stares into Boruto's eyes who quickly looked away.

Naruto was readying to throw back the pillow only to freeze.

Both children turned to their shrunken father at the strange look the latter gained, "Daddy?"

"Did you say my Hokage inauguration ceremony?"

"Yeah like a minute ago. Are you already turning senil—!"

Boruto was interrupted by Naruto making a strange strangling noise before he dropped on the ground with a faint.

It was silent, only broken by their mother down the hall, which her humming was clearly heard now. Himawari crunches down and pokes one of the marked cheeks on her father's face.

"Daddy must have been super tired to fall asleep like that."

Boruto groans and left his room, shouting for their mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So close, Naruto, but I guess it was too much. In case if it isn't clear, the timeline the younger Naruto is from is when he barely into the first couple of months of the two-year training with Jiraiya, which is before Shippuden. Upcoming next we get to see the last Team Seven member and there will be tears (only what, a sentence long) in "Last Uchiha's family get-together", until next time, LaniAhava out!


	3. The Last Uchiha's family get-together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm getting the hang of this Archives system. Anyways I was pretty surprised how long this chapter was, but I wanted it to be worthy for my readers. Enjoy!

_Redemption: to make amends of the horrible deed committed in the name of self-righteousness or more like revenge on someone who really is as messed up as he is…_

Sasuke shakes his head and sighs. Being on his own for too long has made him think too much and lose himself of the now. For example, just this morning he received Sakura’s message from days ago about their daughter’s showcasing her abilities and was hoping for him to come by. He was miles from Konohagakure and by the time he read it, after brooding how he missed seeing her graduate the Academy and her first missions, the day was almost over.

Whose brilliant idea was making _him_ a father? At least he had one kid, unlike some idiot who has two and by what Sakura rants on (after commenting how wondrous their little girl is and when would he visit again because his little girl might be forgetting her father is even alive) about Naruto being just as great of a father as he is. 

Which is bad.

His ponderings were interrupted by a flap of wings. The black haired Uchiha looks up at the dawning sky in worry at the sight of the hawk.

_Either it’s time for the Chunin exams or something happened…_

His body tensed as the bird of prey dive toward him and at the last second, pulls up and showed that it had a message on its leg. Once Sasuke takes the message of the messenger bird, it immediately flew away. He opens the missile to find a short message.

_ Return to Konohagakure immediately. _

Sasuke did not panic.

Although if anyone asks the shinobi nearby, they would have said with a slight shudder of a possible second coming of the Yellow Flash, speeding by. What they would not say, being busy of sending up prayers that it isn't so, they would have seen the worried faint frown of a young man.

* * *

Naruto stares blankly at the wall before him, ignoring the full breakfast spread in front of him. Hinata shakes her head in amusement, seeing how similar he is with his older self when he hadn’t had his cup of coffee yet. She returns her attention at her daughter who is started to go to the Academy weeks ago. She finished up her breakfast and quickly put away her dishes into the sink.

“Have fun at the Academy, sweetie!”

Naruto blinks and returns his attention back to the table. He grins widely, “Yeah! Iruka-sensei is the best!”

“The principal won’t be coming in to Aburame-sensei’s class until tomorrow, Daddy,” Himawari comments, putting on her red ninja shoes. She stood up with a twirl with her pink skirt floating a bit, smiling at her mother.

“Principal?” Naruto stares at her before looking up to Hinata across the table, who the latter nodded her approval of Himawari being ready for school.

Sensing Naruto’s curiosity, Hinata explains, “Iruka-sensei was promoted during the Sixth’s reign and the Academy was running more smoothly ever since. Shinobi were better prepared, which meant our clients are more willing to pay more for our services.”

She frowns when she caught Boruto trying to sneak out before she notices him.

“Boruto, take Naruto to the Hokage Tower. I would have gone, but I need to help out with Sakura with something,” she gave him a firm look, not budging at his loud groan.

“Fine,” he pouts. Hinata had to look away of how similar he looks like his father, but she cannot say anything, aware about how the young boy gets tensed and defensive about such comparison.

She looks back at Naruto and frowns in worry at the untouched meal, “Naruto, your breakfast would get cold.”

“Breakfast?” he looks down and stared in awe, “Whoa! All this is mine, dattebayo?!”

“Geez, you act like you never had breakfast before or something,” Boruto mutters, but Naruto kept quiet, not commenting for once. Hinata’s hands tighten over her shorts, but smiles brightly at Naruto, who began to eat faster after carefully taking a tentative first bite. By his speed eating his food, she's happy he likes it, even if it isn't quite Ramen.

“Just take your time Naruto. Boruto will wait for you to finish. Right, Boruto?” Hinata give him a bright smile that worried Boruto.

“Might as well. Who knows if he’s going to faint again on his breakfast,” Boruto mutters.

Naruto stood up and points at Boruto, “Hey! I did not faint! I-I was hit by an invisible shuriken!”

“Wimp,” Boruto crosses his arms, but jumps when Himawari pats his arm, not sensing her being that near.

“We all have our bad moments. Just like you freak out when we go train with Aunt Hanabi,” before Boruto could splutters out an answer, Himawari rushes out the door, waiting for Hinata to follow outside.

“Have a great day you two!” Hinata kisses Boruto’s cheek and throws a smile at Naruto who stares with longing at Boruto.

“Yeah, you too…” Naruto mutters, returning his attention to his half-eaten breakfast.

* * *

It took a couple of hours to arrive within sight of Konohagakure, even after facing low quantity of bandits foolish enough to get in Sasuke's way. The no longer last Uchiha barely stopped at the Entrance gates of the hidden village to show his papers before using Shunshin to land in front of the Hokage’s office. He ignored Shikamaru’s complaints and Sai’s bland smile, to kick down the door.

Before him, on the Idiot’s chair, sat his old teacher, Kakashi, who for once wasn’t reading his little book.

“…sensei, what are you doing in the Seventh’s chair?” Then his eyes widen and activated his Sharingan in barely concealed worry, “How bad is he?!”

In response, Kakashi gave him that annoying eye smile and took out his _book_. Before Sasuke decides to go back his old ways of killing his sensei, he hears a preteen shriek behind him. He turns around and found himself on the ground hard. Sai (Sasuke still not sure what the rest of his team sees in that jerk) was still snickering somewhere .

If anyone asks how someone of his caliber was taken by someone half his size and not even in the same fighting level, Sasuke will blame it on being shocked by the bright orange he has not seen for a long time, blinding him, easier to be tackled.

“OH MY RAMEN!! SASUKE’S BACK?! LIKE FOR REAL, DATTEBAYO?!”

Sasuke stares blankly up at the strangest image of his old teammate, being too young since he last saw him. That can’t be right.

“…Boruto? Are you cosplaying…?” He was surprised at the weak, but still annoying punch of the boy. Yeah this isn’t Boruto, but how could it be Naruto?

“Freaking idiot! Making Sakura cry! Leaving us like that—! How could you—?!” he sensed more than felt the shaking in his arm once Naruto stopped punching him.

 _Geez did Naruto brought a small water balloon, drenching my shirt as revenge for all these years?_ Sasuke isn't sure how to deal with this and before he could think any way to comfort his best friend/brother, Naruto gasps.

"What happened to your arm?! Did I do that?!"

"Hn, no…" Sasuke sighs, but frowns, "Oh wait, you did, but not yet—"

Just as Naruto pale in horror, Kakashi flips another page of his book and spoke up, “Wonder if Namiko would forgive him for cheating on her cousin’s best friends twin sister’s niece?”

At this Naruto rubs his nose on her orange coat's sleeve and looks sickening at their Sensei, “Agh! You still reading that?! Its lame! Just be grateful I was able to convince Pervy Sage to have her marry her best friend’s nephew’s step brother, than to married that two-timed cheating bast—“

Kakashi puts down the book and stares at him for a moment before giving him a bright eye smile, “Really? Why thank you Naruto, they were my OTP. I was worried because from his past books, Jiraiya-sensei wouldn’t do that.”

Naruto eyes at him suspiciously while he stood up, casually giving Sasuke a hand to help him stand up, “Are you messing with me?”

“Of course, you would end up editing those books,” Sasuke mutters brushes off the snot and debated if he should use his fire jutsu on it in case it had any idiotic germs on his shirt, “I guess you had to practice your grammar from somewhere. I had my doubts for an idiot like you to be able to learn.”

“Excuse me, stupid, duck butt head!” Naruto cracks his knuckles, ready for a brawl there and then.

Sai peeks into the Hokage office with a bland smile, “Ah, he isn’t anymore, Dic—”

Kakashi interrupts, “Ah, Sai, glad you’re here. Can you bring in Iruka? I have some questions on the upcoming genin team rooster that the older Naruto left behind.”

Naruto tries to push off Sasuke’s hand that prevented him from kicking Sasuke’s butt to stare at his teacher, “Sensei, you’re actually doing work?!”

Kakashi places his hand over his chest, “You wound me Naruto. I did hold on the Hokage hat until you were ready.”

“Yet you didn’t do anything and practically tricked Naruto do all your work in name of internship,” Shikamaru grumbles and drops a stack on Kakashi’s desk, “Now, you better do something or I will tell _someone_ who actually succeeded in their revenge against you.”

Sasuke picks up Naruto from the back of his shirt, ignoring the nervous laughter from their teacher.

“Oi! I’m not some kind of pet for you to pick up like that, Stupid!” Naruto windmills his arms and legs, trying to make Sasuke drop him.

Unfazed, Sasuke, neutrally responds, “Shut up, Idiot.”

* * *

Although it was a little odd at first when the big dinner at her Godfather's house was cancelled all of a sudden and left to stay with Chouchou for a bit, it was stranger the next morning. Her mother cleaned up their home more than usual and began to cook something questionable, then she called Aunt Hinata and Aunt Ino to help in the hospital in her absence.

Unable to hold her questions, she asked her mother who looked guilty and happily told her the reason (or she suspects part of the reason). Turns out the answer was her father was coming back home! It was too bad he couldn’t see her beat Boruto’s butt in their Genin Showcase. While still excited to be finally see her father, Sarada was reluctant to leave home to get some groceries. Then she heard crazy rumors of an upcoming graffiti artist that painted the walls of Konohagakure with strange swirls. Some people were excited by them. Which was weird since Sarada never heard of such thing until she left the store that morning. Everything seemed fine before she went in!

When the young girl finally returned home, she heard shouts and broken furniture that vaguely reminds her of her childhood whenever her father was home along with her godfather.

“—you’re just jealous of my awesomeness!”

“Hn, as if I want my clean wall splattered by your scribbles,” Sarada brightens up at the familiar scoff. She runs into the kitchen and only stops to walk in a dignified manner once she was near the doorway.

“Sasuke, you have no right to say that since you haven’t been here long enough to help me paint these walls and no you cannot paint my walls or so help me— _CRACK_!”

“Tou-san, welcome back! Boruto of course you’ll be here—” Sarada stops to stare at the strange blond that for sure she thought was her teammate who tends to try to take off with her father, only to feel something different about him.

She eyes the blond's bright orange color jacket wore instead of the usual black jacket with red stripes on the sleeves. She narrows her eyes, “You’re not Boruto.”

The not-Boruto grins with legs apart and points himself with his thumb, “That’s right! I am not that little jerk! I am Naruto Uzumaki, the awesome ninja who one day will be Hokage!”

“…Idiot. You’re already Hokage,” her father smirks. Her mother facepalms, but her shoulders shook in silent laughter.

Naruto splutters for a moment before leveling Sasuke a glare, “W-well not me as in right now!”

He then whispered almost too loudly to her good hearing, “How dare you make me embarrass myself in front of my fan.”

When she caught her father’s soft look at Naruto’s pout, Sarada wonders at the other emotion lingering in his face, unable to pinpoint what it was. Before she could figure that out her mind froze, fully realizing who is in front of her.

Sarada blushes and shouts, “Seventh! Were you hit by a reverse age jutsu?!”

“Maybe? Last thing I remember was sleeping in my bed with a knife in my hand in the fourth town after being kicked out by the others in one day thanks to the Pervy Sage.”

The young Uchiha gaps at him, still processing the great Seventh is before her and close to her age!

“I bet Pervy Sage was probably flirting with a bunch of woman again. That guy has no shame,” Naruto rolls his eyes, putting his hands behind his head.

“Pervy Sage?” Sarada thinks back of anyone being perverted and knew the Seventh and the only one that came close was, “You mean the Sixth?” Sarada fiddles with her glasses.

“Eh?! He actually becomes Hokage after Baa-chan?!” Naruto stares at her wide-eyed.

Sasuke leans down to whisper to Sarada, “Sarada, Naruto was talking about Jiraya-sensei.”

The young female genin stiffens and drops her hand away from her glasses, “…oh.”

“What? You make it sound like he’s dead or something,” Naruto chuckles and looks around Sarada’s home, missing the two (and one married into) Uchiha’s twitch in unison, “You know what they say about bad weed never dies or was it bad something is immortal, meh whatever.”

“Sasuke? Where’s Boruto?” Sakura asks, untying the bandana tied on her head still eyeing Naruto take in their home.

Both Sarada and Naruto groans in unison before looking at each other.

“Hn. Needed to separate the two. Headache,” Sasuke takes a seat in the kitchen and stares at Sakura move around to make lunch.

At this Sarada brightens up, “Seventh, would you like to train with me? Sensei gave us the day off since one of our teammates went to visit his family.”

“Awesome! I totally want to see Sasuke’s kid be better than him!” Naruto punches the air above him and beams at her with an excited glean in his eyes.

“Mom! Dad! We’ll be in courtyard training!” Sarada quickly pulls Naruto outside in excitement. She didn’t wait for their response and was already gone if they had.

* * *

“So, what did that annoying brat clone did to you?” Naruto asks, while stretching.

Sarada didn’t stop from doing her stances, thinking over her answer, “Everything comes to him easily, but he doesn’t try harder to be better. It’s rather easy to beat someone who is rusty and unwilling to do the work.”

“Heh,” Naruto chuckles, “Sounds like Sasuke, no offence!”

“I wouldn’t know,” Sarada shrugs, but couldn’t help her eyes linger back to the direction of the kitchen, “He’s rarely home. I guess we have that in common at least.”

After that it was silent until they finished their stretches.

“Rules?” Sarada asks.

“Know any summons?” Naruto stands within the inside edge of the faded circle.

She shakes her head and asks, “Not going ask if I use the Sharingan?”

“Psha!” Naruto makes a wave off motion, “If you have it go for it, if not do your worst!”

* * *

“Oh my gosh! Did you see on Chouchou recent pic? I wish I had an authentic Uzumaki swirl too!”

“So jealous! My mom said he use to do it all the time, before it was _awesome!_ ”

“Kya! Look! It covered my whole door!”

Boruto crushed the paper list that Uchiha-sensei gave him to do in one hand the other grips the shinobi supplies' bag he needed. He only lost sight of his father for 30 minutes before reaching the Hokage Tower and somehow he found that nasty, blinding orange coat and dared to wear it (what kind of self-respecting ninja wears bright colors?!), and worse, he decorated the whole village with different colored spray painted weird symbols!

It isn’t even true art. He couldn’t believe how stupid his own village is at times. He’s surrounded by idiots.

He pulls the grocery bag, closer to himself and looks up at the rooftops. Seeing there was no one on them, Boruto quickly runs up the side of the nearest building sticking with the aid of chakra and jumps on the tiled rooftop of the Yamanaka’s flower shop. Muttering about yet another grand thing his old man did at his age, Boruto rushed toward the Uchiha residence.

It was only after a couple of jumps when a familiar annoying cat dashed past him. Knowing what that meant, Boruto jumps back, barely dodging a couple of genin suddenly appeared, covered by bloody scratches as they ran after the accursed Daimyo’s cat.

“Still doing errands on your day off, Boruto?” an amused voice spoke next to Boruto’s ear.

“GWAH!” Boruto jumps and almost lost his grip on the rooftop, “Sensei!”

The short brown-haired with a blue bandana tied around his neck, grinning at him, “Thought for sure, you’ll be with your other teacher.”

“He’s with the old man. I can’t compete with him,” the grocery bag swings a little by his side when Boruto crossed his arms, glaring at the Hokage Monument.

A worn, older hand ruffles his hair, causing Boruto to look up to his teacher’s eyes full of understanding, “Chin up. You’re Boruto and only you can be the best Boruto you can be.”

Boruto scoffs a little brokenly, but gives a small smirk, “That was lame, Konohamaru-sensei.”

“No one respect their elders anymore,” the jonin of Team 7 proceeds to rub the younger boy’s head before he lets him go, “Go on and meet up with your old man and your other sensei. See you tomorrow for training.”

Then the team leader of Team 7 disappeared in a whirl of leaves, leaving Boruto stand on the roof alone once more.

“That’s right! Uchiha-sensei is here!” Boruto quickly jumps over the rooftops.

* * *

She was out of breath, unable to move from the ground. Naruto looked worse off than her, but still had energy for another round if possible.

“Man, you sure are Sakura-chan’s daughter,” Naruto sat next to her, rubbing his chest where she gave a last chakra powered punch before dropping on the ground in exhaustion.

“You’re really…are unpredictable,” Sarada gasps out. Suddenly he squeaks after hearing something hit him. A little worried, Sarada looks over and stares at Naruto try to attack her father, throwing back a bottle of water.

“Here,” Sarada looks up to find her mother giving her a bottle. With a murmur of thanks, she drinks it.

“Behave Naruto!” Sakura shouts, waving her fist threatening that send Naruto cover his head and Sasuke quickly let go of the smaller blond, “I cannot have my daughter learn your bad habits especially when she wants to be Hokage!”

“Mom!” Sarada covers her bright red face. She couldn’t believe her own mother would embarrass her like that especially in front of the Seventh!

When she looks up, she catches Naruto throwing a smirk at Sasuke, who only looks away in annoyance.

Boruto decided right then to jump in from her rooftop with excitement, “Uchiha-sensei! Can we train before you have to leave?!”

Naruto spits out his water and glares at Sasuke, “Eh?! You’re training my son? You thief!”

“Hn, you took my daughter, we’re even,” Sasuke raises an eyebrow.

They stared at each other before Naruto grins brightly, “This is better than awesome! Glad you stop your woe-me, woe-me younger self. I was worried you’ll go crazy and actually want to kill me at sight or something. _Again_.”

The two genin stare in suspicion at Sasuke or more like Sarada, since Boruto nods in understanding.

Sasuke was saved from even commenting when Sakura calls them in for dinner.

"I get to eat Sakura-chan's food?! Sweet!" Sarada blinks at the lack of smoke or leaves from the spot Naruto stood before disappearing in a blink of an eye. 

Sasuke only chuckles, but with a hint of a dark smirk before turning to her and Boruto, "We'll train together and see how far along are you two." 

Both genin cheered and raced back into the house only to stop when the older Uchiha calls out, "Don't eat the ramen."

Boruto scoffs, "I don't even like that stuff."

Suddenly a sense of foreboding washed over the young Uchiha.

"Say that again at Naruto, but make sure not within Sakura's earshot," once more a strange smirk made its appearance, but Sarada paid no heed, since she was very hungry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning of how now I'm full time student, working and doing other stuff, I will be slow on updates for this story. Rest assured, I will still work on this story between the insanity of memorizing strategies and terminology for my major and working. Upcoming next is an interlude of a certain demon fox. Till next time and wish you luck to those on mid-terms exams/projects and other challenging endeavors!


	4. Special: What does the Fox Say?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baack! For my monthly update now, since I'm busy with stuff, but I found time to finish up this almost already done chapter, just for you!  
> This chapter took place between Boruto losing his father on his way to the Hokage Tower (after his mother left to drop off Himawari) to before Naruto sees the much older Sasuke.

One minute Naruto laid down to go to sleep and the next he felt the faint sense of falling. It was disturbing by the lack of rushing air around him while seeing the small dot of light above his head fade to nothing.

After the whisper of falling disappeared, he quickly scrambles to his feet. His eyes quickly adjusts at the low lighting before he blinked at the familiar and not familiar mindscape. Something felt off as he walks, where his steps made slight dry thumps.

What felt like he walked an infinity, Naruto looks up to see the demon fox napping before him.

As if sensing someone staring, the fox yawns and stretches, yet he didn't open his eyes to ask lazily, "What brings you here, brat?"

"What makes you think I wanted to come here, dattebayo?!" Naruto growls out, hands fingering at his weaponless pouch, unsure to react the lack of  _something_  in the demon's voice.

The fox froze for a moment and opens one eye to stare at Naruto. Both his eyes open, wide with shock. The nine-tails quickly sits up.

"What happened to you?!" he growls outraged for some reason.

"What does that supposed to mean, stupid fox?!" Naruto bristled, while feeling something was definitely off about the fox.

"Stupid f—Why you…! You're not Naruto at all," the fox's eyes glows red.

That is when Naruto realized: while he felt the anger, there was no suffocating hate. It was strange, but Naruto didn't want to deal what that meant at the moment.

"Of course, I am me! Don't think just because I am younger than the one you are used to, means it would be any easier to possess me!"

"Possess you?" The fox asks confused, which was quickly replaced with dark amusement.

The nine tailed fox lazily stands up to his full height and leans forward, "Sometimes I forget how stupid you were."

Naruto distantly wonders at the lack of splash of sewage like water as he stomped, "Shut up! I am not stupid!"

The fox smirks turn malicious, his tails lazily shifting behind him, "You do realize I am not behind bars? No seal to hold me back? Nothing stopping me from  _devouring_  you?"

Naruto froze and looked around stiffly.

Usually he would be wading through some questionable substance water. There was no jail cell, and the place didn't look much like a sewer for that matter. And what is that faint green stuff on the ground?

…is that green, healthy grass?!

Those thoughts were quickly overshadowed by the implications of a free fox. The village and his precious people are in big trouble!

His body shook in fear, but he was no less determined, shouting at the large chakra demon, "I might be smaller, but I will not make it easy for you to eat me!"

The fox lowered his snout and gave his Jinchuuriki a smile, showing all his canine teeth. Naruto's body shook harder, but didn't once look away from the demon fox's eyes (well at least one of them since the fox was rather huge). Then the fox opens his mouth as Naruto prepared to summon his clones.

A slimy, wet pink thing took over his vision and his other senses.

Naruto froze as he slowly processed the slob on him.

Did the fox just licked him?!

Once he processed this out of character evil, freeloader, demon fox, Naruto hissed like a wet cat and shouted with slight hysteria, "What was that for?!"

"You really are an idiot," the fox goes back to his spot and curls up, "Wake me up when you turn back or almost dying again."

* * *

 Naruto gasps and rolls off his back. He quickly stood up and blinks at the bright light, blinding him.

"Gwaaah! My poor innocent eyes!" He rubs them and carefully open one eye again to see again.

He found himself standing in a dark alley surrounded by many spray cans with the sun's rays shining directly where he stood. He looked around to follow the trail of the cans that ended at the nearest wall.

"Oh yeah," Naruto mutters to himself, punching his fist into his palm, "I was hidi—playing ditch the brat clone that isn't a shadow clone to do awesome stuff."

The blond haired boy nods to himself, but frowns as he tried to remember how he lost consciousness to meet…that weird version of the fox.

"Ah, so it was my old Naruto-chaos-senses that was tingling," a familiar, but a softer voice spoke behind Naruto.

He turns to face with an older man with a scar running across one cheek, over his nose to the other cheek.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto quickly runs to hug his first surviving mentor since the Third Hokage would have been the first, but gone for weeks now.

_Then again for everyone here, old man Hokage has been dead for decades…_

"Are you alright?" Iruka looks at him worried.

Naruto blinks off the melancholy and grins, "Of course, dattebayo!"

The older man chuckles and shakes his head, "Shouldn't you be somewhere right now?"

"Pshaw! And leave this poor deprived village of my awesomeness?!"

Iruka shakes his head in amusement and picks up a couple of cans.

The blond haired de-aged boy absentmindedly rubs his forehead and takes the cans from his old teacher's arms to drop them off to the nearest trash bin before quickly picking up more of the empty cans littered around the alley.

After a couple of minutes of silence, Naruto asks, "So I heard you're the new principal. How is it being the boss?"

"It was odd at first, but I felt this was one way for me to make a difference for any student not to be let down because they were different," Naruto looks up at sees the soft look and a hint of regret aimed at him.

"Sensei! You were great! You were the only one who cared about me in the Academy!" Naruto beams at him, "Although I bet now more awesome shinobi are graduating."

"It is a little difficult with peace spread more among all the hidden villages. The war...changes people. Hopefully this time the peace not only lasts longer, but stays."

Naruto stops, catching on something he hoped he heard wrong, "War?"

"I don't know exactly what happened for not being there," Iruka sighs and looks at the distance, "It was brutal and so much death. Then I hear how you and Kurama as you call the nine tale fox, came into the battlefield."

Iruka stops as if trying to remember, then smiled when he caught Naruto holding the last can with a frown, "No one could exactly explain it other than you both gave every shinobi hope saving the world from an everlasting empty illusion. Together you were powerful and since then you always made an effort to give the other tailed beasts the respect they deserved."

"Respect?" Naruto stares confused at his navel where the seal located.

"I bet Kurama would understand your doubts. You two have been through too much for something like this to break your bond. You have a way of making long lasting bonds with everyone you meet."

"Iruka-sensei?" an older familiar voice interrupted.

"Hello Sai," Iruka looks up and gave a nod at the young man who eerily resembles with Sasuke, but less of his scowl, instead wore a strange smile.

"Greetings," Sai nods, "I've came to greet a fellow artist, but unsure if the rumors are true from what I've heard."

Iruka chuckles, "You're right, it is Naruto."

Naruto in the other hand frowns and stares at the older man, "I'm guessing you know older me since I saw you at the Hokage Tower yesterday."

"Of course, I become your third member for you and Ugly's team after," for a split second he twitched, probably sensing the disapproval from Iruka, "from your previous teammate took a leave of finding himself."

"Oh," Naruto blinks, "Wait you said fellow artist. What kind of art you do?"

For some reason Sai stares at him almost surprised before smiling that weird smile again, "I can draw animals and infused them with chakra to attack."

"WHAT?! You can do that?!" Iruka coughs interrupting Naruto's attack toward Sai, who started to be not quite uncomfortable, but almost embarrassed.

"Any other reason you were looking for me, Sai?"

"Ah, yes," Sai's face turned serious, "I was told you were the best in finding Naruto after Boruto came to the Hokage Tower hoping Naruto arrived first. It seems it was true."

"He's the best, not even the ANBU can handle me!" Naruto beams, still proud over that fact. Oh the damages and chaos he sowed, especially before the old man made him promise to stop if he wanted to start the Academy early.

"Well, by the sound of it, you're needed at the Hokage tower, Naruto," Naruto snaps out of his walk in memory lane and chuckles nervously.

"Yeah…" Naruto looks away from Iruka's Look, "Fine! I'm going, I'm going. And I know, no trouble or no ramen."

"See you in a bit, you'll probably see me there if you're not busy with whatever they make you," Iruka shakes his head with a fond smile.

"As long as it's not school work, I don't mind," Naruto turns bashful when Iruka ruffles his hair in front of Sai, who started to take notes for some reason.

Naruto quickly jumped on the roof with Sai following after putting away a small notebook, leaving Iruka at the alley.

"A race to the Hokage tower, Seventh? Or you prefer to be called something else?" Sai asks.

"Seventh is older me and feels like cheating, so use The Awesome Naruto," Sai gave him the weird smile again, making Naruto sigh, "Fine, call me whatever."

Before Sai opens his mouth, Iruka shouts from below, "Don't you dare Sai!"

Now Naruto was curious what Sai could possible call him or older him, but best not push when his old teacher was nearby.

"Can we fly on one of your drawings?" Naruto asks after see how far off they were from the Hokage Tower.

In response, Sai takes out his scroll and in a fluid motion, a caricature of a bird flew out of the scroll and waited for them to climb on.

When Naruto stood there gapping in amazement, Sai chuckles, not quite the weird smile, but with warmth, sat on the inked bird, "Climb on, Naruto."

Excited, Naruto jumps behind and shouts in joy when they took off.

" _I am proud to be call your partner, Naruto_."

Naruto looks around and hears nothing more than the wind rushing around him and met Sai's confused look. The blond haired boy shook his head and enjoyed the rest of the trip to the Hokage Tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Upcoming next will be a bitter pill to swallow of the reality behind Naruto's dream and despite being used to hearing those words toward him from the villagers, it stings when its from the very people he hoped he wouldn't hear it from.  
> Warning! I'm not sure when the next chapter would be posted since again college work and work itself is eating me alive. Nevertheless, thank you everyone for your silent and loud support, until next time, LaniAhava out!


	5. Words cut worse than a kunai

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa finals were intense and finally I am free...*WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO WRITE ESSAYS OVER THE BREAK? AND THEY'RE DUE WHEN?!* You'll think one escape those when you go to college...nope.  
> As a way to de-stress, here is another exciting chapter with a pinch of hurt/comfort just for you! Enjoy!

Pretending he didn’t notice the ANBU outside, Naruto wanders around (his? Hinata’s? theirs?) the house. Naruto was bored, now prohibited from leaving the house since his recent painting prank all Konoha.

Although he was confused about the layout of the village. The only thing he can think of is that the invasion during his Chunin exam was worse than he thought. Yet he cannot help feeling something big happened between then and now.

Shaking his head, Naruto kept walking, annoyed he couldn’t join in with Boruto and his teammate AKA his goddaughter. Hinata and Himawari left to buy groceries and had offered Naruto to join them. The de-Age blond haired boy waved them off and claimed he wanted to explore his future house.

After passing the same room with a partially opened door for a second time, Naruto gave in the urge to snoop inside. Looking around for anyone stopping him, Naruto enters the room.

The door creaked, shifting some dust into the air from inside. He flicks a light switch by the door and sees a thin layer of dust settled on the small office. There were many pictures around the room. Curious, Naruto steps closer, dodging the stacks of books and papers spread across the floor.

On the walls, they were many photographs. One was his older self grinning with tears in his eyes holding an ugly looking baby next to an exhausted smiling Hinata. There were some where he was doing who knows what with his kids, but most with their beaming faces. He followed hungrily the picture frame timeline; see their first steps, first ride on a bicycle or training with them using shinobi weapons, their bright smiles standing before a large cake, surrounded by many shinobi that Naruto vaguely recognizes some of the Konoha 11. Their first day in school…

Rubbing his eyes, Naruto smiles with an edge of wistfulness, _I’m so glad they had something I never had._

When Naruto looked around he caught sight of a picture frame on the desk next to the sealed window. Picking it up, he stares with a large blush. It looks like a date with Hinata taken discreetly by the looks of their focus on looking at the fireworks exploding across the sky.

He stares at the soft and strange, yet familiar look in his older self’s eyes looking at Hinata and wonders, “That look is very similar to Hinata always gives me whenever she lasts long enough for a conversation with me…”

“Mini-Daddy! We’re home~!” loud steps rushed by through the hallway. Naruto chuckles and puts the picture frame back at the desk. With a last look of the room, Naruto peeks out of the room and crashes into something soft.

He looks up and squeaks, jumping back. 

Hinata looks at him before giggling, “You really must have been thinking hard or in a hurry for not sensing me.”

Naruto peeks out of his arms wrapped around his hand in instinct caused by bothering Sakura too much and getting a rain of punches for his troubles.

“Yeah, that!” Naruto looks back to the room. When he returns his attention to Hinata, trying hard not to stare at her chest, he caught a glimpse of sadness in her eyes.

Naruto looks down and coughs into his hand, staring at the ground oddly meekly, “I really am sorry for not returning your…lo—feelings when we were younger—"

“Oh, Naruto,” Hinata puts leans down and lifts Naruto’s chin, “Love isn’t something felt overnight.”

Naruto looks at her in confusion. She straightens up and looks back at the room, “I began with having such a large crush over you. Stalking you and trying to understand you more, despite of how shy and weak I was. With care and persistency, it grew into something more. I was willing to wait and respect you. I grew to be the best me, worthy and proud to be able to stand by you.”

Naruto looks back at the room and his eyes caught on the picture of the old Team 7 reminding him of Sakura waiting for Sasuke. It seems it worked out if Sarada was anything to go by, but he knows that love isn’t what he wants or needs. He looks up at Hinata before looking away with a blush.

“I…thank you. Must be messed up to have the younger self of your husband and not able to do ‘couple stuff’.”

Hinata giggles, “I’m fine. Besides if I can wait for you until we finally got married, what is a little more time for me to get to truly get to know your younger self.”

She leans down and kissed his cheek. Naruto was torn between being horrified, touched and amazed. Before he can finish processing, Naruto found himself on the floor with a heavy weight on his stomach.

“Found you Mini-Daddy!”

“Well good for you,” an annoying voice spoke up sarcastically above Naruto’s head. He looks over Himawari’s head and sees it was Boruto, who just came back from practice by the look of his sweating and red face.

“Welcome home, Boruto,” Hinata gives a smile with a strange edge to it. Looking at Boruto’s stiffening, he knew he didn’t imagine it.

“Can you give Naruto a _proper_ tour? I still need to cook lunch and drop off your sister with Aunt Hanabi,” Boruto fervently nods and drags Naruto out the door once Himawari took off to get ready to leave.

Once outside and away from being eavesdropped, Boruto mutters to himself, "It was complete accident when I found her old shrine. Wish I didn't know that part of her life."

Naruto has a feeling he didn’t want to know. Faintly, he hears a sleepy snort in his mind.

* * *

 “Geez, still cannot believe the invasion was that bad! I thought for sure Gaara didn’t go ballistic in the middle of the village,” Naruto commented, staring at the building that stood what once was the orphanage he stayed at until he was able to get his own apartment.

He still couldn't get over the fact there are this many new buildings he never seen before. After commenting the new electronic store use to be a row of fruit stands, Boruto snarls at Naruto. This wasn't much a surprise for Naruto. He can feel his frustration a mile away and he isn't the type of silently fume let alone do the passive-aggressive approach...or so Sakura once said when Naruto antagonized a client to explode. 

It also didn't mean he would be taking it lying down either.

Boruto points his finger at Naruto’s face, “Shut up, Freeloader! Eating our house without paying your part. You should get a freaking job or something!”

Pushing the other's finger, Naruto growls, “You think you have it hard? I bet you don’t even have to worry about how would you pay the next rent or if your next meal would be edible to eat?!”

For a moment Boruto froze, staring at Naruto as if he never seen him before. The two boys stare silently, waiting who will break the silence first.

“Aw look the both of you~ You really did look like your father when he was your age, Boru-chan~” An elderly lady chuckles before a younger boy pulls her.

“Come on grandma, we have to see the doctor, or we’ll be late and wait another month for the next appointment.”

Naruto stares at the pair, feeling a little disturbed. If that older woman was who he thinks it is, that was one of the caretakers of the orphanage who hated him with a passion.

 _Is this a new paranoia technique...because its kind of working_ , Naruto thought to himself.

“ARGH!” Boruto glares at Naruto, who almost forgotten he wasn't alone, “ITS ALWAYS THE SAME THING! I DON’T WANT TO BE ANYTHING LIKE YOU! SOMEONE WHO IS NEVER THERE! WHO ALWAYS BREAK HIS PROMISES! STUPID OLD MAN, I WISH I HAD NO TIES WITH YOU!”

Naruto felt no anger or frustration or even the usual urge to beat up the other boy. Instead something fragile and precious that was slowly, but surely growing for every new precious person came into his life, broke. It has been so long he felt this and forgotten the consequences of getting close to someone, and feeling betrayed.

Sure, recently Sasuke left after the invasion during his time was terrible, seeing his older self back to the village and not as a missing-nin, lessen the pain.

The fact was this boy was his own blood, his true family, who he had seen the love between his older self and Boruto in the photos in that old, dusty room. This pain and agony, choked the words he wanted to say or more like ask why?

What did Naruto's older self do? Did he do something to betray his first-born son?

When he looked up, Boruto had jumped up to the nearest rooftop and disappeared.

* * *

Sure, as of late he had been having big fights with his father, but the old man either waved them off or let him vent out. This version of his father did the latter, but the blank look on his face freaked him out. He was used to that annoying habit of how open book his younger father's face is.

Boruto was unable to cope with the heavy feeling that stretched between them and ran off. Once he was out of breath, he stopped jumping over the rooftops and clutches his fists. Glancing at the Hokage mountain, Boruto snarls and jumps off the roof, landing roughly on the ground. Before he can take a step, Sarada appeared out of nowhere and slammed him to the ground with her fist.

Next thing he knew, he blinks, staring at a familiar ceiling. He slowly sits up, taking in his surroundings. The room was partially empty, but sees a couple of things that belong to his sister and himself.

_Wait, what am I doing at Aunt Sakura’s place?_

 “Sarada must be very furious with you,” a woman voice spoke up.

Boruto quickly turns and faced with his Aunt Sakura, “What happened?”

“You tell me. Sasuke dragged your lifeless carcass to my place before hunting down Sarada and wherever you left Naruto,” Boruto winces at the serious look his aunt gave him.

Seeing this, Aunt Sakura sighs and rubs her forehead, “Boruto, there was a reason we left your father in your care. For one it was our way of showing how much we trust you with this mission. Second, don’t think we were not aware at the increasing distance between your father and you.”

Boruto looks down, mournful. He would never prove he was better than his father when he cannot even do a mission of protecting one kid, even if said kid happens to be his father.

“I guess we never realized how deep the resentment ran,” Boruto looks up to see his aunt stand up and walks to the door, “By the way, we already have a team to watch your father. So, don’t worry about it. Just figure out your feelings before facing him again.”

“Wait! How do you know what I said to him?!” Aunt Sakura gives him a grim smile.

“The whole village heard, it wasn’t that hard,” she shuts the door behind him, leaving the genin to his thoughts.

The young boy lies back down and groans, “Just great. Now I am not only back to square one, but in negative to surpass my old man.”

He turns to the side and sees a small meal. Boruto turns the other way to ignore it, but his stomach showed its needs with growling loudly.

“Fine!” Boruto sits up and eats the sandwich before him.

* * *

The wind blew around him, giving some coolness from the rays of the high noon hot sun. It was a beautiful day, yet Naruto decided to stand before the Memorial Stone.

There were many more names since he last saw it. When he caught Neji’s name, he winces. He might not have like that coward for beating up Hinata, but it didn’t he wishes for his death.

“To think it has been only weeks since we fought each other,” Naruto sits on the ground and plays with the grass absentmindedly.

“Daddy?” Naruto looks up to see Himawari. Farther back, within sight was a female Hyuuga with a couple of guards.

“Am I a bad daddy...?” Naruto whispers, afraid of her answer.

Himawari moves closer to Naruto and gives him a strong hug, not bothered how he stiffens, “Silly yes, and makes many, many, ma~ny mistakes!”

Naruto looks at her depressed, but seeing her beaming face, confused him.

"But I will always, forever and ever love you Daddy! You're my hero every day. The awesomest!" 

Unable to look at such earnest and adoring eyes of someone so young and not manipulated to hate him for his jailer, Naruto looks away.

“What kind of Hokage am I to get caught and turn into this?” Naruto waves his hand over himself, “The top it off, I seem to not even take care of my family.”

Himawari tilts her head, “But you did take care of your family. It’s hard sometimes I know since it’s a large village to take care of.”

Naruto turns to her in confused, “Village?”

The young girl nods fervently. She responds as if stating a fact, “Uh, huh. The whole village is our family. Everyone takes care of each other and holds up when one falls. You’re not alone Daddy. Sometimes bad things happen, but then tomorrow will bring good things again. It’s a cycle beyond our control, but only you let your feelings control you or not.”

“Besides,” Himawari looks back at the entourage of Hyuugas before whispering, “Mommy says it’s just a phase big brother is going through, he also loves you.”

As if ignoring Naruto disbelief snort, Himawari giggles, “Few days ago, he did a silly prank like painting the Hokage monument!”

At the sight of her covering her giggles, he couldn’t help but join in her laughter as she spoke of other pranks Boruto has done over the years. There is this special light this little girl has and somehow part of his blood runs through her and still bright despite of the problems she must face. Looking at the girl in such blend of him and Hinata.

Still feeling her arms wrapped around his waist, Naruto lifts his hand and pulls her closer to him, “I lo-like you too my little sunshine.”

Somehow, she glows even brighter, “Big Daddy calls me that too!”

Naruto stares at her and an idea forms in his mind, but he'll make more plans later. In the meantime, Naruto ruffles her hair and helps her up as he stood up, "Don't worry I will get your big brother back from being a grouchy monster, I won't give up, that my Nindo!"

* * *

Sarada sees the determined look of her role model. Once more she is floored.

_This is why I follow you Seventh. Despite the harshest challenge, you never give up!_

Sarada’s eyes narrowed and grinned, _Who cares that idiot Boruto is not appreciating such a chance to get to know the seventh, I will take advantage of it._

She steps forward only to find everyone had Shunshin away at that moment. Sarada facepalms and mutters to herself, “I must stop thinking too much.”

* * *

Tsunade slams her hand and shouts, “Kakashi! You haven’t prepared for the arrival of the Sunagakure Hokage, have you?!”

In response, Kakashi barely looked up from his precious book and turns the page, “Oh that’s today?”

She raises her shaking fist, barely held back by Shizune from beating Kakashi to the ground, not caring she isn’t as _young_ as she use to.

He snickers, knowing Tsunade thought he was laughing because of what he is reading. Although she is partially right, but he loves messing around with people. He already emailed Gaara about the recent changes and the red haired young man is actually eager for the meeting. It will be very amusing indeed. Kakashi snickers again.

“I can hear everything you say! In the time you were still in diapers, I was in a war fighting for our village. So doon’t push me from taking the hat from you head and beat you with it!”

Kakashi places his hand on his chest, “My dear predecessor, you shouldn’t act so unladylike. What would the impressionable genin learn from your wonderful example?”

Ignoring her splutters and pulling herself together, Kakashi shouts, “Come in!”

Three students entered the Hokage office, breaking the sudden silence by someone chewing a couple of chips.

An older woman with slightly smaller ponytails than she had when she was younger, salutes from behind her genin team, “Sixth! Team Moegi, reporting for duty!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry not many funny stuff, though technically I didn’t post this story as being funny…Anyways, worry not, Boruto and Naruto are just in a slump and it was a matter of time for Boruto to explode, things will eventually look up for them. Upcoming next is the return of a former Jinchuuriki and some team missions.


	6. An old friend's gratitude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy the upcoming mini fluff between Gaara and Naruto and Naruto for once being part of the protective detail, only he is the client at his currently new age. Enjoy!

Naruto stops walking and stares at the strange shop before him. It was different than he remembers, but he still recognizes the same feelings. At the moment the strongest feeling he is getting is being vindicated of the fact the small shop is now a large building, showing how great and worthy the Ramen Ichiraku is.

Excited, Naruto enters and gaps at the not quite full, but larger siting arrangement of Ichiraku Ramen.

"Welcome to Ramen Ichiraku, the greatest Ramen of all the hidden villages!" a chirpy voice greeted in front of Naruto. He looks up and turns wide eyed at the large menu of all kinds of ramen.

 _I think I just died and went to Ramen heaven…_ Naruto barely hold back a tear that threaten to fall for such a beautiful moment. Times like these made being alive great.

"May I take your order?"

He quickly rushed to the counter and peeks behind the counter to see anyone he recognizes. To his disappointment he finds the bright smiling workers unrecognizable.

Naruto stares at the cashier and realizes this wasn't the old man Teuchi or his daughter Ayame. Who knows where they are anymore, let alone know his usual.

"If it isn't the Traitor," Naruto perks up at the familiar voice and turns to see Sai sitting with a scroll in front of him in one of the seats, hidden in a corner. The bland smiling man was staring at someone who was scowling before the latter turns at Naruto's stare.

"There you are, Idiot," Sasuke growls, "You shouldn't take off, you know."

For some reason Sai choked a smile before looking very focused in reading his scroll when Sasuke turns to glare at him.

Naruto walks to them and crosses his arms, "For your information, Boruto was the one who left first. Whose brilliant idea was to put him in charge of watching over me? He probably has better things to do than watch over…"

Naruto's voice trailed over and glares at the floor. He promised his little sunshine he would get Boruto back to his old self, but how can he if he isn't sure how he brought Sasuke back to the village. Or for that matter, did he really bring back Sasuke himself?

"Say Naruto," said teenage boy looks up at the strange way Sai said his name, which by Sasuke suspicious look supports his theory of Sai never saying his name before, "I'll buy you lunch if you draw something for me in one of my scrolls."

"Sure! But it would cost you extra though," Naruto grins, "You have to do another chakra animal drawing. That bird was awesome!"

Sai stares at him, giving him an odd look at Naruto, "It would be my honor."

Something settled from the shattered something in his chest before he pushed the warm feeling and beams, "Let's go before you decide to change your mind!"

Sasuke gave them a "what the heck look?" at the two of them, but was immediately ignored as the two artists went to the counter to order food.

* * *

Sakura barely kicked Boruto out of her house after she gets a call from her old Sensei to meet the new Naruto Protection Squad to make sure they arrived without trouble to Naruto's current location.

"Glad Sasuke found that idiot," Sakura mutters to herself, began her quick walk through the village. She completely ignored a small shop in the main square of Konohagakure selling a couple of authentic Naruto spirals.

When she arrived the location that her sensei messaged her earlier, Sakura saw the team in charge of watching Naruto. The pink haired shinobi isn't sure to pity them or not. Instead she nods at them and signals them to wait outside of the Ramen Ichiraku restaurant.

Sakura enters the restaurant and quickly finds Naruto seating with Sasuke and Sai. Exasperate at the possible bloodbath that sometimes happens when the rare times Sai and Sasuke meet up, the pink haired woman quickly rushes to their table.

"—you can never have enough swirls," Naruto waves his chopsticks around, "It implies that there is no beginning or end."

Sai nods sagely and then said, "Also for each brushstroke, they must be done in full control of how thick or thin the line would be. Although in the end, a drawing or any masterpiece never ends up being truly what was planned from the very beginning."

"Why do I get a feeling you are implying something?" Sasuke eyes them suspiciously, before eyeing the papers spread across the table, away from the food.

Sakura is rather disturbed how relaxed Sai is and Sasuke isn't outright brooding as he usually is with his self-justified guilt, let alone the fact there hasn't been a physical fight by now. Naruto in the other hand seems fine. To think she was worried in also dealing with an upset Naruto.

 _He really does pick up himself up,_  Sakura's eyes narrowed as she remembers once she really got to know Naruto through the years, _but then again, he has a tendency to smile through agonizing pain._

"Alright, break time over you two. Sensei wants you back at the tower for a mission," Sakura said eyeing Sai and Sasuke, before turning to Naruto, "And you, Naruto, better not ditch your bodyguards."

Seeing Naruto open his mouth to protest, Sakura raises her fist, "I'm serious, don't make it hard for them. Besides it would be until evening and then you can return back to your house."

Naruto pouts. To her surprise Sai pulls out a paper from the stack on the table and hands it off to Naruto.

"You may have this. When we meet again, we may spar, if you wish, Naruto," Sai's smile widens when he received Naruto's beaming smile.

"Definitely," Naruto carefully folds the drawing and hides in somewhere inside of his blinding orange jacket that Sakura had hoped was burned from existence.

Then Naruto turns to Sasuke who tried to discretely leave without being noticed, "Don't worry, Stupid! I might find time in my schedule to pencil you in."

"As if you have anything better to do than fiddle with your thumbs or eat ramen, Idiot," Sasuke scoffs, but amused when Naruto jumps out of his seat to attack him.

Fortunately for Sasuke, Sakura grabs her shrunken teammate by his jacket's collar and drags him outside.

* * *

"The new Ino-Shika-Cho at your service for protection of any and all possible attacks to your person," nods a light blond-haired boy with a blank smile that eerily resembles Sai's.

"'ello, Seventh-chan," chubby, dark skinned girl greeted after swallowing a couple of chips. She reminded of Naruto of Choji, although she isn't as soft spoken as his old friend was.

"What a bother," Shikamaru look alike sighs.

Naruto beams at them, but it was slightly strained, "Yay…my bodyguards."

"Hello Boss!" chirps someone. Naruto searches for the voice, but sees no one.

"Who said that?!" In response, he gets a giggle and a bush rustles for a moment before it raises up.

"Ta-da! How's my disguise?" Naruto squeaks in surprise and summons a couple of clones. Naruto scowls at the genin in charge of babysitting him before looking at possibly their teacher. The dark orange haired, twin ponytailed young woman with the Chunin jacket seemed familiar, especially her hair…

"Moegi?!" Naruto gasps before laughing, giving her a thumbs up, "NICE! I give it a 9 out of 10. I would have giving you more if you pulled it off standing in front of me and I still couldn't see you."

Moegi brushes off the leaves off her uniform and smiles, "It has been a while since I seen you outside and without stacks of paperwork or over the laptop in front you."

"Lap…top? The heck is that?" Naruto stares at her with a bewildered look. Is that some clothing term like some kind of shirt that goes to the knees?

"Oh, boy," Shikamaru's look-alike mutters, "Old school indeed. Troublesome."

"Brats, be nice," Moegi eyes them with a hard look that Naruto had to take a double take. Once again, he is reminded of how out of time he is. Little Moegi is now older than him and a teacher to a genin team to boot.

"I believe, Boss—err Naruto deserves an introduction, just names would be enough," she added the last part when Shikamaru look alike made a face.

The dark-haired boy puts his hands in his pocket and slouches, "Fine. The name is Shikadai Nara."

The light blond-haired boy gives a quick bow, "Greetings, my name is Inojin Yamanaka."

When the third member was looking through her bag of chips for anymore chips, she was elbowed by Inojin. She looks up and stares confused for a moment before it dawns on her.

"Mwa—" The dark-skinned girl quickly swallows the chips she was already chewing and tried again, "My name is Chouchou Akimichi."

Naruto stares at them and almost out of reflex opened his mouth to introduce himself, but remembered they would have already known, "So, you're the new Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji team thing. How long you've been a team?"

"A while," Shikadai shrugs vaguely.

"Our parents know each other, so I've known these two since forever," Chouchou responded before chuckling happily when she found more chips in the bag.

Unsure where to go, Naruto decides to make another round the village, but instead of messing around and putting graffiti, he takes in the moment to re familiarize himself with his village at an intimate level.

He was so prepared with excuses or plans to be as obnoxious as possible to redirect the usual disgust looks aimed at him that Naruto was thrown off at the villagers cheerful greetings and special deals. He had thought with Boruto was a one-time thing, but apparently it might be for real.

He didn't realize he was getting too close to a group of children running around screaming with glee around the fruit stands until a quiet one crashed into him. With hesitation, he reached over to help the kid up, mentally praying the kid's parent isn't nearby to pulled them away from him muttering fox demon.

"Shinya! There you are!" A man wearing a shinobi headband with 3 pins of the Konoha Orphanage insignia came running and pulls the light blond-haired boy, who quickly picked up his fallen large glasses to his face, from Naruto's grasp.

"Sorry, Urushi-sensei," the boy responded.

Naruto slowly walks off while the man was distracted when the man shouted, "Wait!"

Mentally Naruto curses, but turns around with a bright smile, "Yeah?"

"Oh," the man squints at him and gasps before bowing down, "Seventh-sama, almost didn't recognized you. So sorry for Shinya bumping into you, you know how kids are."

"Not a child," mutters Shinya, but Naruto wasn't staring at him. Instead was looking at the adult who actually apologized to him, a stranger as far as he knows nonetheless.

"Something out of place, Hokage?" Inojin appeared next to Naruto, surprising the boy.

"Geez! Don't do that!" Naruto growls. He turns to see the man patting the boy's head as the child waved him off as if out of habit, completely forgetting the incident.

"Huh, it's one of the Shin kids," Chouchou comments, "It's weird to see him wear such weird glasses."

Moegi leans back against one of the shops, playing with a kunai, but made no move of danger. Naruto sighs in relief, unsure why the kid gave him a weird vibe.

He turns to see Moegi's team looking at him curiously, Naruto quickly thought of a subject change.

"So…what do you think of Boruto?" Naruto casually asks, putting his arms behind his head. He subtly walks toward the middle of the path when a store owner or worker comes out of their store to show off their wares. To his surprise he quickly gets an answer.

"Annoying," Shikadai responds in a bored manner.

"Kind of cute, but he thinks he is all that," ignoring the looks of disgusts aimed at Chouchou by her response.

"Very smart and stupid," Inojin responds with a bland smile.

Naruto stares at them and loudly sighs, muttering, "That is no help at all."

Moegi stares at the sky as if wondering about her life.

* * *

Gaara nods at the Konoha villagers' bright greetings, louder than back at Suna, but no less warmer.

Kankuro grimaces that he tries to pass as a smile always make Gaara chuckle with an added bonus of seeing children gasps in eagerness at the possibility of a puppet show of the battles of their choosing.

Its nice to see for once their talents used for something other than for ending a life. Although Temari scoffs of such silly things.

"Gaara!" The Fifth Kazekage looks up and his small smile widens at the sight of an old friend even if he is now younger than he last saw him. He raised his hand that wasn't holding his hat in greeting.

Naruto's eyes catch on what he has in his arms, "You're a Hokage?! Me too!"

Gaara just smiled, waiting for the young version of his first friend to reach them. Has it been so long he was a bitter child killing everything that irritates him along with the inability to fall asleep?

His siblings' groans interrupted his thoughts.

"Just when I started to respect you, this happens," Temari covers her face with one hand in exasperation.

Kankuro grumbles, finally free from the children mob, "He's the Kazekage not the Hokage, idiot."

"I know you! You're that giant fan girl," some of the villagers within earshot and from Gaara's entourage choked at his words.

Good old Naruto and his bluntness.

"What did you call me?!" Temari leaked killer intent as she glares at Naruto.

"Fan girl? Oh, that does sound kind of bad, huh?" Naruto chuckles, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, "It's because you use that huge fan and do cool wind jutsus with it. I hope I have cool wind jutsus too."

Then Naruto noticed Kankuro, "Do I know you?"

"Why you little—?!"

Gaara chuckles and places his arm on Kankuro's shoulder to hold him back from beating up Naruto, "Why don't you go greet our nephew, Kankuro?"

Naruto gave a lingering look as he watched Temari turns her attention to reprimand Shikadai, who nervously smiles while his teammates snickers at his side. With an understanding smile, Gaara puts on a slight aloof look, "So how are you doing, Naruto?"

At the dimming smile, Gaara softens his look. He had heard the rumors of Boruto and Naruto's fallout despite happening hours ago.

Naruto, as if catching on his thoughts, brightens his shaky grin, "Want to get ramen, Gaara?"

"Didn't you just go a few hours ago?" Inojin frowns.

He casually responds his nephew teammate's question, "As someone once said, 'One can never have enough Ramen'."

"I should use that one day," Naruto nods to himself in a serious manner, not catching Gaara smiling with a hint of mischief. As Gaara takes out his sealing scroll and puts away his Kazekage hat within it, he thinks back the last time he heard it was from Naruto himself in one of their "The Konoha-Suna Alliance Renewal annual meetings".

"Troublesome," sighs Shikadai.

Chouchou crackles, "This time, the title of Gluttony Queen is mine!"

Naruto points at her, "You wish!"

"Ah, geez," Moegi exasperated comments, but follows them to the Ramen restaurant.

* * *

After a couple of Ramen eating contests and almost being kicked out of the restaurant—they wouldn't be really banned since having two village leaders in said restaurant is good for PR—Gaara offers to watch over Naruto as the shift for Team Moegi came into an end by evening.

"Go catch up with Shikamaru, Temari. We'll be fine," Gaara places his hands behind his back, looking every inch of a dignified Kazekage.

Kankuro seemed to catch on Gaara's discrete glances at Naruto. The puppeteer rolls his shoulder and followed Temari, "Better join you sis. I don't think I want to deal another Tornado Temari incident."

"Excuse me,  _little brother?_ " Temari gave him a sharp smile, "Are you implying that I want another kid with that Lazy butt."

"We're just going to go give our reports to the Sixth," Inojin sweat drops at the grown up's antics.

"Good plan," Shikadai mutters, but then spoke out loud, "I'll see you later, Mom. You know how the Sixth is."

Without waiting for a response, Shikadai quickly runs up the side of the Ramen Ichiraku building, being mindful when he rushed passed the glass windows with his chakra-infused shinobi issued sandals. Inojin gives a quick bow and pulls Chouchou to follow from the ground after the not so subtle Shikadai running for his life.

Moegi followed her team after giving a serious look aimed at Gaara, "We'll leave him in your capable hands, Kazekage."

Gaara in response was a nod with a couple of grains of sands that shifted into eyes over the oblivious Naruto's head, who was pouting next to him.

With a whirlwind of tree leaves, Moegi Shunshin away to appear next to Shikadai on a roof.

"Anything to report before reaching the Hokage's Tower, Shikadai?" She catches the barest flicker of shadows twitching in frustration before acting as any normal shadow should have.

For a moment there was silence as Moegi split her focus on waiting out Shikadai and keeping eye on the rest of her team below. Inojin still hadn't convinced Chouchou to follow them up.

"Are we going to be attacked?" Shikadai asked.

Moegi gave nothing away other than hum, waiting for the Shadow jutsu using genin elaborate. After reaching half way to the Hokage's tower, he explains.

"The Seventh…was acting very paranoid. He looked at everyone with suspicion. Also, he was hesitant in entering any shop other than Ichiraku."

Careful in not giving out much, but hoping enough to satisfy the Nara genin, she responds, "He is in a new place. The village is very different from what he is used to at his current age."

Moegi knew the true reason why Naruto is like that. It's a bitter pill to swallow of seeing a living and breathing past with her now older, knowing eyes. Seeing Shikadai eyeing her suspiciously, Moegi mentally groans at a Nara who may be lazy and pain in the butt to train, was also smarter than any average S-Class shinobi.

"Sensei, what kind of life did the Lord Seventh lived? I am aware about his not stellar grades in the Academy regardless of what Boruto claimed his father told him, but no one should act as if he lived in Sunagakure before my uncle's reign in a village like Konohagakure."

Moegi swallow the urge to remark about what does he know about a time before he didn't exist even as thought in his parents' mind, instead she raised her arm in signal to stop, "Let's get down and join the rest of your teammates, Shikadai."

The dark-haired Nara narrows his eyes before rolling his eyes, "Fine."

They landed a bit far from Chouchou and Inojin. Seeing they were out of anyone's earshot, Moegi checks her weapon pouch, making sure her rest of her team wouldn't lip read what she would say next.

"There was time many were blind of what it's in front of them, afraid of anything that didn't make sense or was different. I'm just glad you were born in a time where one can embrace so many changes as breathing."

Thankfully Shikadai was silent, taking apart and putting together his theories until the rest of the team shows up. Only to see Chouchou and Inojin stop and retrace their steps. Before Moegi calls out to the two genin, they heard Chouchou snicker loudly.

"Sensei! Look who we found!"

Moegi looks to where the Akimichi genin pointed and fought the urge to facepalm.

Boruto was eyeing Inojin suspiciously, who stared blankly back.

"Geez, Boruto. You shouldn't worry about Inojin being after your little sister. She's like 5 or something," Shikadai smirks when Boruto gaps at him in horror.

Moegi susptects on their next team sparring session would be painful for Shikadai, but by his snickers, the Nara believed it was worth to catch the usually composed Inojin's face show deep annoyance.

Chouchou crumples up her empty chip bag and threw it to the nearest disposal bin and asks, "So is it true, the Seventh isn't your father?"

Everyone gives her a disbelief look.

"WHAT?!" Boruto splutters, "How—? Who said that?!"

"Isn't it obvious, Boruto," Inojin takes out his tanto and casually stares at his reflection, not looking at Naruto, "You both couldn't possibly look alike."

"That's a lie! Everyone says we can possibly be pass as twins, especially now with how young he is!"

Inojin puts away his tanto and gives Boruto a narrowed look, "That's what everyone says. The question is, what do  _you_  think?"

Boruto frowns as if trying to figure out what Inojin was implying.

"Inojin, stop messing with Boruto," Moegi raises an eyebrow at Inojin. The Yamanaka shrugs unrepentant, but does stop talking.

"Boruto, you should really talk this out with your sensei. He can enlighten you many things," she crosses her arms and gives him a stern look. Boruto looks away with a huff.

"Now if you can excuse us, we still have to turn in our mission report," Moegi said, leaving her Boss' kid in deep thought.

* * *

Gaara and Naruto ended up in front of the empty Academy. Naruto focused on the swing that was slightly swinging in the slight evening breeze, remembering when he sat on that same swing, alone, watched all his classmates and every student going to their parent; complaining, explaining, laughing or fighting with their guardian/ parents, but always a something that was special and only seen glimpses of. Something that was never aimed at him.

He returned to the present by a hand touching his shoulder. Naruto looked up and sees Gaara tilting his head, "You want to play with the swing?"

Naruto stares at him. Normally he would boast or complain he isn't a child to play such childish things. At Gaara's face, who truly and intimately understands that deep down Naruto who is unwilling to speak out loud of deep wishes, quietly nods and sits on the swing.

For the next couple of minutes, the silence fell, only broken by the creaking of the chains as Gaara pushed Naruto on the swing.

The repeated motions of moving back and forth, settled him in ways that only sparring with Sasuke or being in an incorrectly labelled mission gave him.

To relay on someone else doing the work he can easily do or keep trying until he succeeds is unsettling.

"Are we best friends, Gaara?" Naruto whispers when he swung close to Gaara before the older man pushed again.

The red-haired man without messing with the rhythm responded, "You're my first friend."

"We also go out and do something whenever we have these Alliance renewal meetings," Gaara added.

"That sounds boring," Naruto scrunches up, imagining long talks of weird, big words stuff that means something else and no fighting at all.

"Which is not surprising, you don't call that whenever we go out," Gaara chuckles, "I believe you call them 'hanging out with my fellow Jinchuuriki'. Although I am not anymore, you still think me as one for the experience or something."

At this, Naruto puts his feet down to stop the swing, looks up at Gaara in shock, "Use to? Pervy Sage said a Jinchuuriki who gets their tailed beasts extracted die!"

"True," Gaara looks up the sky with a distant look before looking back at Naruto, "Your village and yourself helped bring me back."

Naruto stares at him and quickly looks away. Is that same look, Himawari and possibly Hinata gave him. That same weird something he can't quite grasp, but he suspects what it is.

"When I returned to my village after the invasion," Gaara began, "I wanted to be someone like you."

This brought the blond haired genin attention once again, "Me? Why?"

"Someone who lives with life with meaning. Someone who wants to protect their precious people."

Naruto stares at him before looking down, "But I'm not. Bor—I failed someone important to me. I—"

"Nothing worth it, is ever easy," Gaara interrupted, "It took so many months for me to able to get near to people without them running the other way, worried I would killed them when I showed a slight disagreement with someone."

Gaara tightens his hold over the chains, not looking away from Naruto's confused look. His voice softens, with the confused tone he once gave to Naruto on the day they last fought on that day of the invasion. "Before I knew it, my whole village did everything in their power to bring me back after being taken and cried when I was once again with them."

"You were so right, Naruto about these bonds that never break, that give you so much strength," Gaara crouches down to be eye level to Naruto, getting a glimpse of a bright shine on the green eyed Kazekage's eyes, "I will never stop being grateful meeting you. Thank you, my dear friend."

Naruto opens his mouth, but closed it as he tried to swallow, unable to look away such a look and meant for only him!

"…so, you think I can have Boruto stop hating me?" Naruto spoke over the lump in his throat and fiddles with his orange jacket's hem.

"You'll think of something," Gaara stood up, focusing a bit too much in dusting off the sand off his clothes, giving Naruto a chance to gather himself, "You always work best under pressure and there is nothing that can stop you. Not even the goddess or someone from the moon."

This snap Naruto from his strange mood and stares at him suspiciously, but Gaara gives him a small smile that wasn't quite so innocent looking once he looked closer.

"Is this your way of a prank—?" Naruto trails off, and sees over Gaara's shoulder toward the Hokage Monument.

"Yeah…that could work," Naruto mumbles to himself. He turns to Gaara with a mischievous smile, "I need Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei for this before I can go all out."

Gaara only nods and chuckles after Naruto took it as permission to run to the Hokage tower.

The shrunken shinobi is very aware of the trailing sand around him, slightly touched of how serious Gaara is taking in protecting him, making him part of Gaara's precious people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter became a monster, so long...  
> It might take me a while for the next chapter to be up since I need to think up some pranks and school is starting again. If anyone has some ideas, pass it on the reviews or sent a PM and I'll see if I can incorporate some. Until next time, LaniAhava out!


	7. The Calm before the Storm of "Terror"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I was able to sneak in another update between my busy schedule, hope everyone had a great last couple of weeks. Just a heads up, there would not be much sadness on this one. Thank you everyone for your patience. Enjoy!

 

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Naruto begged on his knees with his hands in prayer in front of the Hokage desk, "Please!"

Kakashi didn't look up from reading the book when he responded, "I didn't let older you have Prank day, let alone Ramen day. So, I am not starting now."

Currently, Naruto was asking to do a village-wide prank with Boruto, but he has to deal with Kakashi being boring. Gaara already left the Hokage Tower to the house Temari and Shikamaru bought for the occasion whenever the Suna siblings visited. The Kazekage only stayed long enough to make sure Naruto made it to the Hokage office safely.

"Not everything that doesn't go your way is boring, Naruto," Kakashi raised his eyebrow at the sudden sight of Naruto making his eyes widen and watery.

Deciding to ignore Naruto, Kakashi turns to his other former students, "By the way, Konohamaru wanted to train his team, so my original plan of having his team babysit Naruto is a no go."

"You don't have to sound too disappointed sensei," Naruto huffs.

"Mitsuki returned?" Sakura asked. She waved off at Sasuke's suspicious look.

"Not yet," Kakashi leans back, "I had someone looking for him since he might know something, but the only one who can possibly know is unavailable."

"Eh? Is there a problem? Is the village in trouble?!" Naruto looks over the older version of his team, trying to see a hint of what could be wrong.

"The problem is you, stupid," Sasuke stood up only to freeze at the cold smile Sakura shot at him.

"Times like these, make me very glad you are not home,  **Sa. Su. Ke. Kun.** "

"What are you—?" Sakura ignored him and looks over at his side.

"Don't mind Sasuke, you know how he is," Sakura beams at Naruto who was strangely silently fuming.

"I don't care what he thinks…after all it isn't the first time nor the last I hear that, dattebayo," the blond-haired boy bit his lip, "I'll go find someone to  _babysit_  me as I walk back Hinata's place, so you don't panic."

The door shut with a click behind Naruto, making it louder than it would have if the door had slammed shut.

Sakura was ready to beat Sasuke, but Kakashi beat her to the punch, figuratively.

"You better apologize, Sasuke," The Sixth raised his hand to hold off the other's retort, "Remember for him, you recently took off after almost killing him."

Sasuke growls before sighing, "Fine."

"Congrats, Sensei, you win the father award," Sakura scoffs with no bite.

"Of course! I have some experience in fatherly duties," Kakashi waves his arms at Sakura and Sasuke, "I taught you and watched you grow. You turned out decent enough. Mostly."

At the last part, he eyed Sasuke longer than necessary before giving his eye smile.

"Whatever lets you sleep at night, sensei," Sasuke smirked when Kakashi froze.

Sakura giggles, "Triggered much. You better hope no one tells  _him_."

Kakashi sniffs, "Fine, both of you are now in charge of Babysitting since I have no one for tomorrow."

"And that's bad, why?" Sakura asks, but Kakashi ignores them as he read his book.

The pink haired woman sighs and turns to her husband only to find him glaring murderously at the window.

"Hm?" Walking toward the window, she caught the sight of a flying drawn dragon flew across the Konoha sky with two riders on its back.

"Seems like Sai took a liking to Naruto. Glad I don't have to worry about Sai antagonizing Naruto," her giggles turned to guffaws at the slighted huff from the former avenger.

"Get out of my office and give your kid a bedtime kiss," Kakashi commented behind them.

"Whatever, old man," Sasuke growled and jumped out the window with Sakura a split second behind.

* * *

While most of the Konoha residents were unaware of the narrow escape they had from the lack of approval for Prank day, Iruka shoots up from his passed out position on his work desk. His eyes looked around his surroundings in suspicion.

"Seems like Naruto was prevented from doing something weird. Hope he isn't too down," Iruka mutters to himself.

The Academy principal stretched his arms, before pushing his chair from his desk. Waking up his computer, he sees there was few more hours before its time to open the Academy.

After rushing to his apartment to check his personal alarm system not disturbed in his absence, Iruka quickly ready himself to make his daily rounds of visiting his former students. Once he was presentable, he chose the familiar, yet unworn path toward the training grounds. To his delight, he finds himself looking at Team 7 training session.

"Training hard?" Iruka smiles at Konohamaru, who was watching over Sarada and Boruto spar.

"Venting out more like," sighs the current generation Team 7 leader.

Boruto snickers when he was successful in kicking Sarada into a tree. In response, Sarada shook her head and summons a couple of kunai and threw a couple of them that pierced the other's clothes and grazing his arms.

"Hopefully Mitsuki returns soon. He is getting behind on the teamwork exercises. Furthermore, without him, I cannot even keep these two from killing each other," Konohamaru tsked and threw a kunai between the two when they began to summon fire jutsus at close range.

Iruka nods, "That child is something else. Very powerful, but so lonely."

"Which makes it more amazing how I know he would be super helpful for the whatever problem these two stubborn idiots have to get over faster," Konohamaru tugs on his scarf.

"Yes, that is a problem. You know how it is, if all fails, return to the basics," Iruka waves off a now thoughtful Konohamaru and returns to greet the teachers for another day in the Academy.

* * *

"Just like old times, eh, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura sighs. She wonders when did the two made their apology from the lack of distance between her two teammates. She knows Sasuke stayed with her for the whole night and meet up at Hinata's place together.

Yet in just few minutes they were back in antagonizing each other as the rivals they are. She almost wished they had a definite mission even if its with Tora.

Almost.

"Hn."

"Heh," Naruto smirks, "I bet you are super glad Sai isn't here."

"…I don't know what you're talking about, idiot."

Naruto shakes his head in disappointment, "Don't think I don't know you even if you're now older. I can recognize those jealous eyes anywhere~"

"Shut up."

Naruto snickers, "Jea~lous!"

The blond-haired shinobi tried to run ahead when Sasuke snapped, only for the dark-haired man Shunshin in front of him.

"You want to take it outside, Stupid?!" Naruto made the hand sign for his Shadow Clone technique.

"We're already outside, Idiot!" Sasuke kicks Naruto's stomach, interrupting the latter from finishing his jutsu.

"Really? You want to do this here?! Really?!" Sakura's growls and stomps toward the two bickering Shinobi. The civilians quickly took off toward the busy side of the village to get away from the incoming chaos. She slams her fists on both heads, getting an irate look and whimpering boy.

"Geez, I thought for sure age would mellow you out, but I guess I should have expected having Naruto in the equation, nothing ever goes as it should," a deep voice said.

The three original team 7 looked to stare a shinobi with a headpiece, who has his hands in his pocket, staring at them unimpressed.

Naruto stares in confusion while Sakura shouted, "Captain Yamato!"

The older man nods with a hint of smile at Sakura, "Sempai agreed with Sai's assessment of enjoying a one in a lifetime opportunity to see a student before he became my student."

"Sempai?" Naruto mutters to himself.

Yamato turns to Naruto to ask, "Speaking of which, how is your control over Kurama?"

"Kurama?" Naruto narrows his eyes at the older man, trying to pinpoint where he heard the name.

A distant huffy, but amused snarl echoed from his landscape jogged his memory. Naruto pales, nervously laughing, "Good…"

Both Sakura and Sasuke turn to him in mix worry. Captain Yamato in the other hand, narrows his eyes in suspicion.

"I've completely forgotten to check that. It has been so long…" Sakura trails off to turn to older man.

Yamato's fingers twitch before taking a step forward, only to stop when Naruto took one back and subconsciously placing his hand over the seal.

"It's alright, Naruto," Yamato raises his hands in a nonthreatening manner, "I have experience facing you when you summoned many tails in the past. Sakura can vouch for me since she was there."

Sakura nods when Naruto turns to her, but he caught her rubbing her arm. At the possible implication, Naruto drops his arms to his side, bowing his head.

"The…I think the seal is gone…there use to be a…the fox was behind some gate, but everything was so weird…green…I'm sorry!"

Naruto was a split second away from taking off when Yamato picked him up and disappeared, leaving behind Sakura and Sasuke behind.

"Geez," Sakura rubs her forehead, "I really should've checked that out before letting him go into the village."

"Something isn't right," Sasuke mutters, catching Sakura's attention, "The way he described it, the seal is as what his older self said it being like."

Sakura stares at him in disbelief before shaking her head in exasperation, "Seriously, you two have some weird language abilities."

"Still that is something we should let Kakashi-Sensei know," they both stare at each other for a moment before shouting toward the woods near the exit of the village.

"Pakkun!" "We know you're here, Pakkun!"

The bushes next to them shook before a shinobi dog jumped out.

"Yo!" the dog bopped his head in greeting, "I let him know. With what the rest of my pack found out, it would be interesting."

"Not sure this is more stressing than the first time around," Sakura rubs her forehead again.

"Still weird to see the puppy be a puppy again, but he does still have his older self smell on him. Reminds me of his Sexy Technique."

"Really? That is interesting," Sakura began to murmur different formulas and jutsus to herself, starting to agitate herself by the second.

"We gave them long enough time," Sasuke mutters and began walking when he heard an explosion behind him. When he turned, with his eyes activated, he stared.

A large cloud of smoke and destroyed ground with trees and rubble was spread in a specific spot. Normally that would be troubling, fearing of a possible sneak attack, but Sasuke recognizes his wife was simply venting out her stress. At the look of her bright smile, not a hair out of place, Sasuke quickly turns around.

"Hehe, are you turned on by Sakura's strength, idiot?" Naruto laughs when Sasuke, unable to hide his blush punches his smaller teammate. Unfortunately, he gets a popping clone for his troubles.

"Naruto, behave," Captain Yamato comments after coming out of through the trees, holding Naruto from the back of his shirt.

The blond haired genin crossed his arms and stick his tongue out, "Make me!"

Sakura stiffens, gaining a confused look from Sasuke.

**"I mean it, children."** Captain Yamato's ghoul eyed look dropped the temperature to almost absolute zero, freezing the most feared shinobi in the elemental nations.

"…"

A dead silence took over the clearing before the demon brightly smiled, "Thank you! Now let's go see what kind of mission Sempai gave us. Anything better than searching for that demonic cat that never dies."

"No kidding," Naruto whispers, but made no other comment following next to Sasuke who was equally horrified.

"Before you say anything, no one gets use to that look," Sakura mutters to her other teammates.

Once a couple of minutes passed in silence, Naruto mutters, "Damn, I hope he doesn't hang out with Iruka-Sensei."

Thankfully for the trio, Yamato didn't hear their exchange. Staring through the trees in suspicion, he wondered if he saw the familiar clothes of a certain snake.

* * *

"Geez, I still don't understand why can't you appreciate this chance to get to know the Seventh?" Sarada huffs. The female genin tugs around the complex knots of the rope holding her leg hostage.

Boruto who is in similar situation only with all his limbs tied to different objects in the training ground's clearing, took a small rest from gnawing himself to freedom.

"Mph! None of your business, Miss I wish my father visits and when said father is here, too busy following a lame idol."

"Hey! Don't think no one heard your excuses of how your Dad never has time to be there and now that he practically stays home or at least not behind the Hokage's desk, you're all being cruel and mean!"

"Pot met kettle!" Boruto tried to cross his arms, but he barely could twist his wrist.

"Oh really? Fine! I am not coming in tomorrow! I am going to train with Dad and you are not invited!" Sarada huffs before letting out a battle cry.

"Shannaro!" the ground around her cracked somewhat, but her rope was still tied with by the metal rod deep into the ground.

"Damn! Mom makes it looks so easy!"

"Ready to give up yet?" Konohamaru lifts the book over his face to look down at his students. He had watched them call upon jutsus via one hand with Boruto and Fire from Sarada, but the ropes were resistant of such attacks. It has been hours since he tied them up after getting tired of seeing their spar descend to childish hair pulling.

"No, Konohamaru-sensei. We can easily get out! We're just…" The dark-haired girl trailed off.

"Catching our breath. Besides, you'll give us another lesson if we finished fast," he ignores his teammate's glare.

"That's fine. Just so you know. We still have to catch Tora before calling a day," the Team 7 leader smirks at the two identical groans, "I've already messaged your parents you'll be late, which is fine since they are caught up with protection duty."

"Mom too?" Sarada asks. Boruto looks as questioning as her.

"Only Sasuke and Sakura, they're with Bo—Seventh."

Before Boruto could reply, a giant ball of something landing near the clearing, causing a spray of dirt fall on Team 7.

"Ha! I win!" a crackle echoed above their heads.

"Hn. It's the north side. The rules said that's your side, so I win," a deep, smug voice retorted.

Then someone Shunshin next to the rolling ball and raised their leg before quickly doing a double kick, sending off the ball farther away.

"Always bickering and forgetting their objective. This needs to be delivered before sundown," the shinobi pushes her hair off her face and stares at the Team 7 tied up.

Her green eyes narrowed in suspicion before whipping her head at the Team 7 leader who crossed his arms at her judging look.

"Konohamaru, you better not doing anything suspicious with our children."

"Sakura-san, what do you take me for?!"

"Two words: Sexy Technique," she turns to the children and beams, "See you later sweetie! And word of advice, remember how you pass your genin test."

Without waiting another word, she disappears into the sky followed by shooting branches trying to catch her and two other blurs passing by seconds after.

"What…?"

Sarada sighs to herself and fiddles with her glasses only to freeze at the sight of Boruto.

"Those knots…its simple to untie with two hands…"

"Obviously, but do I look like I even have one hand?!"

Sarada glares but kept her opinion to herself. She looks down at her knot and realized her rope is long.

"If I untie you, would you get something to cut mine?"

"As if…" then Boruto's stomach growled, "Argh! This is like the first test all over ag—"

He turns to Sarada and grins, "You know what, sure! Anything to get back at Sensei."

"I heard that! And for the record, I let my guard down on purpose that time!"

"Of course, Sensei," Sarada kindly agrees, making the Team leader suspicious.

Konohamaru quickly sits up and groans at the sudden disappearance of his students. He grudgingly jumps off the tree before using the Body Replacement jutsu, barely escaping a fireball and a poor attempt of Thousand Years of Pain jutsu.

"The longer you do your revenge, the harder would be to find Tora. I think it might be hungry too," Konohamaru waited a beat before dodging a last attempt in getting him back.

A wind jutsu stripped the ground from any lingering weapons and training equipment, Konohamaru brought for the Team training.

At the distinct silence, he guessed his students took off to get a head start in getting the cat, "And me as usual get to have the honor of clean up duty. Wish Mitsuki was here. At least he cares enough to stay and help."

* * *

Papers rustle under Himawari's hand as she erases her mistake of writing the wrong number. Once she returned into the rhythm of doing her math problems without any difficulty, the youngest Uzumaki hums to herself.

"Finished!"

Pencils, erasers and her ruler were quickly put away, leaving her desk organized and clean. She pushes her chair and stands up to search for her brother to check her work.

It was only until she was halfway in the hallway, Himawari remembered her brother left a text message of returning late from a mission from an important mission.

She sighs. Mommy would have been the next choice, but Ino came over and both women were talking about grown up stuff. The young girl would have joined, if she wasn't distracted by her father's old office being opened.

Curious, the girl peeks into the room. At the center of the low-lighting room sat the younger form of her father mumbling to himself. She giggles at the familiar look he gets when he tried to read her first sentences of "I luv my bestest and awesomest Daddy".

"Little Sunshine!" the girl blinks at the sudden presence of her older daddy overcoming her senses, but it disappeared too fast for her to fully grasp.

Not breaking her stride, the dark-haired girl enters the room, "I haven't been in here for long time."

Her eyes caught the one where her Daddy was holding her big brother when he was a baby and another one with her.

"Yeah its very dusty. Don't worry though, all the dust bunny bad shinobi are gone. Scared them off with my skillz!"

"You're saying silly stuff again, small Daddy!" her attention gets caught by a black covered notebook peeking out from under the desk.

She crouched down to pick up the strangely familiar book. The book looked rough and scratched off words were illegible. When she opens the book, she lets out a gasp, "Its Daddy's ultimate prank research book!"

"Eh?!" small Daddy stands up, tripping over a couple of old weapons and scrolls before standing next to Himawari.

"Grandpa 'kashi been looking for this. It was proof that big Daddy scarred him for life and the greatest blackmail."

The blond-haired boy looks over and his eyes widened, "Hee-hee~"

"No, no," Himawari pouts at the small weird giggle from her small Daddy, "Like this."

The light flickered before glowing around Himawari who placed her fists on each side of her hip, " **MWAHAHAHAHAHA!"**

Somehow lightning or a passing light reflected from the window went in cue with her evil laughter.

"…wow. You're a natural," her small Daddy claps in awe.

"Thanks! Aunt Hanabi helped me perfected it, but big Daddy said its all in the presentation. I first saw it when we were prepararing for Revenge of Using the Hokage card against Me plan. It was fun!"

"Himawari," small Daddy grasps her little hands, "Will you join me once again in the name of creating Prank Day and teaching your brother the errors of his ways?"

"I will be super honored!" Before the older boy started his dance, Himawari raised her hand, "Under one condition!"

"Depends. What is it?" Himawari whispers into his ear and leans back to wait for his answer.

Small Daddy frowns at her before looking around the room. He returns his attention back to her and gives her a soft smile, "Of course. Anything for you my little sunshine."

Excited, Himawari tackles him into a hug, feeling the familiar safe-warmth embracing around her.

"I'M HOME!" The moment was broken, and Himawari breaks the hug.

"Big Brother is home!" Himawari dashes out of the room, skillfully through the messy floor without trouble.

"Tomorrow we plan!" she leaves with a smile and a confused small Daddy behind.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> …yeah, so there was going to be a prank competition between those two Uzumakis in this chapter, but…Kakashi wasn't having it, and then little Himawari wanted in, kind of. We'll see how that goes, hopefully my heavy class load and the Scholarship Essays of Horror don't do me in.  
> Until next time, LaniAhava out!

**Author's Note:**

> Next time in The Return of the Knucklehead: Naruto gets a spoiler of how things would turn out. Would he roll with it or he'll meet his match and faint in a Hinata fashion? Until next time, LaniAhava out!


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